The next game in the Mass Effect series will not be open world. The rumor is somewhat of a surprise considering how common the open-world genre is for triple-A titles in this gaming age, but when you consider how difficult a time they had with Mass Effect: Andromeda, the choice seems to make more sense. The news comes via a rumor, so this hasn’t been confirmed yet.
Next Mass Effect Isn’t Open World
With Bioware wanting to do right by fans after the mixed reception of Mass Effect: Andromeda and the failure of Anthem, its best move would be to return to the semi-open formula that marked the iconic first three games. An evolution of this would likely be something akin to God of War: Ragnarok. The recent release of Starfield could impact the direction that Mass Effect 5 goes, and with the game still in pre-production, it’s possible that they shift their focus to something more in that vein.
Mass Effect is one of the most beloved sci-fi video game franchises of all time, and Bioware has fought hard to restore gamer’s faith in them. With the release of Mass Effect: Legendary Edition in 2021, a whole new generation was introduced to the fantastic storytelling, characters, and intense combat that the franchise is known for. This quickly fueled speculation that Bioware would revive the franchise, and sure enough, we are going to get Mass Effect 5 in some shape or form in the future.
Bioware has its hands full in terms of its upcoming releases and between Dragon Age: Dreadwolf and Mass Effect 5. These two titles will go a long way in determining the future of the company. With Larian Studios’ release of Baldur’s Gate 3, Bioware was given a look at what players are looking for now when it comes to RPG mechanics. Seeing as that franchise was once Bioware’s, it would be an appropriate development to see Mass Effect 5 embrace a lot of what makes that game so special.
